MESHUGGAH's KOLOSS: HIGHEST 1st WEEK SALES & BILLBOARD DEBUT IN NUCLEAR BLAST USA's HISTORY

MESHUGGAH - those shy, elusive musical geniuses from Umeå, Sweden - have roared into the American Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #17 with first week sales of 18,342 copies sold of their brand new album, KOLOSS, released in North America on March 26th. KOLOSS has also debuted at #25 on the Canadian Top 200 chart at #24 and currently occupy the #4 slot on the Hard Music chart.

KOLOSS is also #2 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart, #3 on the Current Hard Music Albums chart, #3 on the Top Hard Music chart, #9 on the Current Rock chart, and #16 on the Top Current Albums chart.

In Europe, the band experienced a career first on the German album chart: a debut at #48.

In the process of accumulating said accolades, they’ve also managed to secure the highest first week sales & Billboard debut positions in the history of Nuclear Blast USA.

“Absolutely amazing!!!” exclaimed label Vice President Jochen Maass at Nuclear Blast HQ in Germany.

“Killer music and the lovely people making it is the winning formula,” states Nuclear Blast USA’s Label Manager Gerardo Martínez.

From the other side of the world, the members of MESHUGGAH offer the following words:

“Great news!! Guess all the efforts, the covert sessions, and painstaking, soul-numbing seances performed to reach the souls of former chart toppers - now in the life beyond – have finally come to fruition!! We thank them and we thank you, our fans!!! We just made an album. You guys put it on the charts!!!”

MESHUGGAH will headline “SCION A/V PRESENTS: The Ophidian Trek” tour with guests BARONESS & DECAPITATED, which launches April 29^th. Dates are:

4/29/12 House of Blues - Houston, TX

4/30/12 House of Blues - Dallas, TX

5/01/12 Emo’s - Austin, TX

5/03/12 Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ

5/04/12 House of Blues - Anaheim, CA

5/05/12 House of Blues - Hollywood, CA

5/06/12 The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA

5/08/12 Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, B.C. – CANADA

5/09/12 Showbox @ The Market - Seattle, WA

5/11/12 Odgen Theatre - Denver, CO

5/13/12 First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN

5/15/12 House of Blues - Chicago, IL

5/16/12 St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI

5/17/12 Sound Academy - Toronto, ON – CANADA

5/18/12 Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA

5/19/12 Palladium - Worcester, MA

5/20/12 Olympia de Montreal - Montreal, QUE – CANADA

5/22/12 The Fillmore - Silver Springs, MD

5/23/12 Terminal 5 – New York, NY

Advanced tickets & V.I.P. bundles can be purchased at ArtistArena.com.

Check out the “none more black” video for the new MESHUGGAH track “Break These Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion.”

SCION A/V RELEASES LEAD TRACK FROM MESHUGGAH'S KOLOSS

Scion A/V has partnered with Sweden’s extreme, technical metal band MESHUGGAH to bring fans an exclusive digital music download, limited edition 7”, behind-the-scenes footage from their upcoming North American tour, and a concert ticket giveaway. MESHUGGAH’s forthcoming album, KOLOSS, is set for a North American release on March 27^th via Nuclear Blast. The lead track “I Am Colossus” is available to download now for free at scionav.com/meshuggah.

MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake comments on the opening track:

“‘I Am Colossus’ is way more straightforward than the thrash metal we grew up with. At the same time, it does pose its own difficulties for us as players. It will probably be one of the first songs we attempt to play on tour. The solo - which is basically two long notes that are slow bends - just turned out beautiful. Such an understatement as a guitar solo. Sometimes a slow song is just as aggressive as a fast one.”

A limited edition 7” will be available in black, clear, yellow, and white vinyl, and given away for free on MESHUGGAH’s upcoming tour, courtesy of Scion A/V.

“The opportunity to work with Meshuggah is something we’re very excited about,” says Jeri Yoshizu, manager of sales promotion for Scion. “As we continue to evolve our metal initiatives, a collaboration with a band this talented is a logical next step.”

MESHUGGAH is headlining “SCION A/V PRESENTS: The Ophidian Trek” tour with guests BARONESS & DECAPITATED, which kicks off April 29^th. Confirmed dates are:

4/29/12 House of Blues - Houston, TX

4/30/12 House of Blues - Dallas, TX

5/01/12 Emo’s - Austin, TX

5/03/12 Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ

5/04/12 House of Blues - Anaheim, CA

5/05/12 House of Blues - Hollywood, CA

5/06/12 The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA

5/08/12 Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, B.C. – CANADA

5/09/12 Showbox Sodo - Seattle, WA

5/11/12 Odgen Theatre - Denver, CO

5/13/12 First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN

5/15/12 House of Blues - Chicago, IL

5/16/12 St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI

5/17/12 Sound Academy - Toronto, ON – CANADA

5/18/12 Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA

5/19/12 Palladium - Worcester, MA

5/20/12 Olympia de Montreal - Montreal, QUE – CANADA

5/22/12 The Fillmore - Silver Springs, MD

5/23/12 Terminal 5 – New York, NY

Scion A/V will be periodically releasing behind-the-scenes video footage from the band during the tour via their Facebook page, a first from a band that is typically shrouded in secrecy and rarely gives interviews.

Additionally, a ticket giveaway to two winners will be done in each city along the tour via the ScionAV Twitter (@ScionAV) beginning March 21^st. Each winner in each tour city will receive 1 free pair of tickets to the show. Sweepstakes instructions will be given March 21^st on @ScionAV Twitter.

VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM MESHUGGAH'S KOLOSS LISTENING PARTY

Video footage from last Thursday’s KOLOSS Listening Party at The Slidebar Rock'N'Roll Kitchen in Fullerton, California has been uploaded to MESHUGGAH’s YouTube channel and can be viewed at this location.

Members of ZAPPA, FEAR FACTORY, FORBIDDEN, SERJ TANKIAN/JULIETTE LEWIS, ALL SHALL PERISH, HAMMERFALL, MALEVOLENT CREATION, WORLD UNDER BLOOD, ARSIS, and SYMPHONY X plus representatives from DRUM! and Bass Player magazines, Ibanez Guitars, Warwick Basses, Vic Firth, Sabian, Sonor, Evans, Trick Drums, Shure Microphones, Toon Track, Line 6, and Scion were among those present to hear the ten new tracks that comprise MESHUGGAH’s eighth studio album, KOLOSS.

View photos from the listening party on Nuclear Blast’s Flickr page here. View the slideshow version here.

KOLOSS is scheduled for North American release on March 27^th and features 3-D artwork created by Luminokaya.com. The track listing for the jewel-case version of KOLOSS is as follows:

01 – I Am Colossus

02 – The Demon’s Name Is Surveillance

03 – Do Not Look Down

04 – Behind The Sun

05 – The Hurt That Finds You First

06 – Marrow

07 – Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion

08 – Swarm

09 – Demiurge

10 – The Last Vigil

The North American deluxe digi-pak version of KOLOSS will include a bonus DVD.

KOLOSS can be pre-ordered now from Amazon.com.

Sign up here to receive the latest information on MESHUGGAH’s new album.

2008’s obZen has sold over 82,000 copies in the U.S. and debuted at #59 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, clinched the #14 spot on the iTunes Top Rock Albums chart, was the #1 Most Added metal album on the CMJ Loud Rock and FMQB radio charts.

Alive, MESHUGGAH’s 2010 live DVD, debuted at #8 on the Nielsen SoundScan Top Music DVD Video chart.

MESHUGGAH: ALBUM ART & TRACK LISTING REVEALED

The 3-D artwork for MESHUGGAH’s eighth studio album, KOLOSS, is named ‘Gateman’ and was created by Luminokaya.com who spent nine months developing the piece.

“The artwork,” states MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake, “speaks for itself.”

KOLOSS is scheduled for North American release on March 27^th. The track listing for the jewel-case version is as follows:

01 – I Am Colossus

02 – The Demon’s Name Is Surveillance

03 – Do Not Look Down

04 – Behind The Sun

05 – The Hurt That Finds You First

06 – Marrow

07 – Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion

08 – Swarm

09 – Demiurge

10 – The Last Vigil

The North American deluxe digi-pak version of KOLOSS will include a bonus DVD.

Sign up here to receive the latest information on MESHUGGAH’s new album.

2008’s obZen has sold over 82,000 copies in the U.S. and debuted at #59 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, clinched the #14 spot on the iTunes Top Rock Albums chart, was the #1 Most Added metal album on the CMJ Loud Rock and FMQB radio charts

Alive, MESHUGGAH’s 2010 live DVD, debuted at #8 on the Nielsen SoundScan Top Music DVD Video chart.